Jason dishes out some news but digs in to the real question about "Is Disney too expensive?" Discord was talking about a Youtube show from Bright Sun Travels titled "Disney World Has Gotten Too Expensive" and Jason goes through and discusses how he feels about this question. Also new DBC Engagement Challenge. Lin to Bright Sun Travels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiO1a9N65y4 * Reminder to like, subscribe, rate, and review the DBC Pod wherever you get your podcast * Send u...
Feb 20, 2024•46 min
Episode 193 ... for the week February 12, 2024, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Disney Q1 Earnings and Announcements - Strong earnings overall for Disney and a few fun and unexpected announcements .... what does this all mean for the future of the parks and when can we expect to see more investments made? Starts @1:42 ... “Big Little” Things That Need to Come Back - Disney Tourist Blog wrote an article identifying a number of "Big Little" things that have not yet re...
Feb 13, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 193
Episode 192 ... for the week February 5, 2024, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Water Added to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - Construction is moving fast to get Tiana's Bayou Adventure open with water now appearing in the ride and rumors of Cast Member training starting soon. - When do we think the ride might open now and how does this impact travel plans? Starts @3:25 ... Wait times at EPCOT After Hours - Phil has been tracking wait times at the recent EPCOT After Hours event...
Feb 06, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 192
Episode 191 ... for the week January 29, 2024, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Epic Universe Announcement - Universal made a significant announcement about Epic Universe and has really turned up the hype. What are our thoughts of what is coming? How will this impact family vacations to Orlando? Starts @2:30 ... EPCOT Dining Rankings - Disney Food Blog put out a video ranking the dining locations in EPCOT - what do we think they got right and what did they get wrong? - What do...
Feb 01, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 191
Episode 190 ... for the week January 22, 2024, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Planning a Trip with Just After Hours - no Regular Day Tickets - After Hour events will continue into the summer ... given the efficiency of attending these events (and avoiding the hottest parts of the day) could a trip be planned with just doing after hours events, no day tickets? Starts @6:25 ... New Summer Festival at EPCOT Coming? - Flower and Garden Festival dates announced and the festival i...
Jan 23, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 190
Episode 189 ... for the week January 15, 2024, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Free Dining vs Room Only Discounts - Disney released a number of discounts - including a free dining offer. But is this better than a room discount? We crunch the numbers and discuss which situations make one a better option than the other, but also go beyond the numbers to see how each can impact your trip! Starts @2:13 ... Genie+ vs Hoppers - As our touring styles at Walt Disney World evolve we s...
Jan 15, 2024•59 min•Season 4Ep. 189
Episode 188 ... for the week January 8, 2024, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Changes to Park Reservations, Park Hopping, and Return of the Dining Plan - This week will see a number of changes to Walt Disney World Vacations and we discuss which, if any, will impact how we plan future trips Starts @0:44 ... Jason's Trip Report - Part 2 - Jason finishes his trip report - including how improved weather improved their spirits! Was Jason able to find the Vacation within the V...
Jan 09, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 4Ep. 188
Episode 187 ... for the week January 1, 2024, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Impact of Extreme Crowds on Planning - This past week saw some pretty crazy crowds at Walt Disney World resulting in parks reaching capacity and Genie+ selling out .... how would this impact our planning if we were visiting during a time like this? Starts @1:12 ... DBC Recommends: EPCOT Luminous the Symphony of Us Viewing Location Comparison - Great article by Disney Geek to shares viewing from 6 lo...
Jan 02, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 4Ep. 187
Episode 186 ... for the week December 18, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Jason's Final Trip Preview - Jason is off to Walt Disney World and he provides one final update on his plans Starts @1:44 ... DBC Engagement - 2023 Memories - Our community shares their Disney highlights from 2023 Starts @25:50 ... DBC Engagement - 2024 Predictions - Our community shares their Disney predictions for 2024 Starts @28:12 ... * Reminder to like, subscribe, rate, and review the DB...
Dec 17, 2023•40 min•Season 4Ep. 186
Episode 185 ... for the week December 11, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... EPCOT Reactions - EPCOT opened much of World Celebration and debuted Luminous The Symphony of Us ... what has reaction been and are we more excited to see it in person? Starts @1:19 ... Review Our 2023 Predictions - We look back at the predictions we made a year ago for 2023 - how did we do? What were we right about and what we were way off on? Starts @22:12 ... Make Our 2024 Predictions - We now ...
Dec 11, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 4Ep. 185
Episode 184 ... for the week December 4, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... EPCOT Set to Re-Debut - EPCOT is set to open the central part of World Celebration with the Walt the Dreamer statue, debut the new background music loop, and debut Luminous: the Symphony of Us fireworks show ... what are our thoughts/predictions for how it will be received? Starts @0:45 ... Hatbox Ghost installed in the Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom - As discussed in the past, the Hatbox Ghost w...
Dec 05, 2023•58 min•Season 4Ep. 184
Episode 183 ... for the week November 27, 2023, Mike joins us again, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... What Are Our Must Watch Holiday Movies? - We each share some must watch holiday movies for our families ... what are yours? Starts @1:37 ... First Cruise Trip Report - Mike's family recently took their first Disney Cruise, and he joins us to discuss the trip and what made them book the trip and it their expectations were met Starts @5:29 ... Game: This or That - Jason ask...
Nov 27, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 183
Episode 182 ... for the week November 20, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... What Are We Thankful For? - As it is Thanksgiving week here in the U.S., we kick off the show sharing what we are thankful for related to Disney and theme parks. Starts @0:42 ... Phil Reviews The Marvels and Wish - Recently Phil got to see the Marvels and Wish and shares his thoughts on both (non-spoilers) and if they are worth seeing in the theaters Starts @5:21 ... News Updates - React to some n...
Nov 21, 2023•47 min•Season 4Ep. 182
Episode 181 ... for the week November 13, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Fixing Jollywood Nights - The first ever Jollywood Night was held this past Saturday and it was basically a logistics disaster with lines for everything and many things underdelivering. - We discuss ways to improve the event and what are key elements for any holiday party at the parks. Starts @0:44 ... Phil's Crazy Down and Back Idea - Phil's son wants to take a flight on Breeze airlines...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 181
Episode 180 ... for the weeks of October 30 and November 6, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Luminous News - Disney released information and music clips from the new EPCOT night time show Luminous, scheduled to start December 5th. This includes information on the two original songs as well as the Disney songbooks songs to be used and the general storyline of the show. What are our thoughts? Do we think it fits EPCOT? Starts @6:20 ... Genie+ Update Rumors - Len Testa repo...
Nov 07, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 180
Episode 179 ... for the week of October 23, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Top 5 Table Service Restaurant Value Picks - Which Table Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World do we think are most worth the cost? Starts @5:05 ... Traveling Without Your Partner - Phil is exploring doing separate vacations from his wife next summer, each with the two youngest kids. Would you ever do a trip without the whole family and if so, how does that change your "Disney Math"...
Oct 25, 2023•56 min•Season 4Ep. 179
Episode 178 ... for the week of October 16, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Ten Characters that Define 100 Years of Disney Animation - Today is the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company and to celebrate we are selecting 10 characters that we each feel define the century of Disney animation Starts @7:49 ... Jason's Trip - Schedule Update - Jason informed the kids of their upcoming trip - and then asks them their opinion on which parks to visit - Jason gives a...
Oct 17, 2023•58 min•Season 4Ep. 178
Episode 177 ... for the week of October 9, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... New Discount for WDW Includes a Ticket Discount Element - Disney announces a new Kids Play & Dine for 50% Off discount for next spring. Is this a sign of more ticket discounts to come? Who is this targeting and do we think this is smart of Disney? Starts @1:54 ... Jason's Trip - Ticket Options - For Jason's upcoming trip, he is debating adding hoppers to his tickets - we discuss if ...
Oct 10, 2023•56 min•Season 4Ep. 177
Episode 176 ... for the week of October 2, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... RUMOR: Surprising Update to Magic Kingdom Evening Entertainment Coming - The administrator at WDWMagic hinted that some "surprising decisions" were coming related to evening entertainment at the Magic Kingdom - we speculate at what this could be Starts @1:48 ... How Much Free Time is Too Much? - In thinking about his upcoming trip and wanting to schedule some "down time", we c...
Oct 04, 2023•56 min•Season 4Ep. 176
Episode 175 ... for the week of September 25, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... How Would You Spend $60bn on the Disney Parks? - Recently Bob Iger informed analysts and investors that they planned to double investment into the parks, using a figure of $60bn over the next 10 years - We discuss how this compares to the past 10 years of investment and how we would use that money to improve the parks - especially Walt Disney World Starts @1:50 ... Three Little Things - Phil g...
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 175
Episode 174 ... for the week of September 18, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Phil's Trip Report - Part 2 - Phil covers his Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT days, plus a Magical Moment on his departure day. - We also discuss ways he had a "vacation within a vacation" and if his touring style is changing going forward Starts @2:08 ... * Reminder to like, subscribe, rate, and review the DBC Pod wherever you get your podcast * Send us an e-mail! ...
Sep 19, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 174
Episode 173 ... for the week of September 11, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Destination D23 2023 - Reaction! - This past weekend was the Destination D23 event and we go through all the major news to come out of the Parks and Experiences panel and give our thoughts on each and overall feelings coming out of the event Starts @1:57 ... Phil's Trip Report - Part 1 - Phil covers his arrival day, dinner at Story Book Dining, and Magic Kingdom day while Jason grills him...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 4Ep. 173
Episode 172 ... for the week of September 4, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, Preview Review - Phil is just back from Walt Disney World and had a chance to attend a preview of Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana at EPCOT. Phil talks about the attraction and provides his review. - Link to Phil's video walkthrough of the attraction: https://youtu.be/KB2FsT60O04?si=8bPiIfadvLtrzPIT Starts @2:08 ... Mickey's Not So Scary Hallowe...
Sep 05, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 172
Episode 171 ... for the week of August 28, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Last Minute Updates for Phil's Trip - Phil is days away from his trip to Walt Disney World - so he covers some recent adjustments made to his schedule and also shares what each member of his family is most looking forward to Starts @ ... Can One Have True Vacation At Walt Disney World? - Jason just returned from a relaxing camping vacation - one filled with days of nothing scheduled ... is i...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 171
Episode 170 ... for the week of August 14, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... Genie+ Value for Different Touring Styles - The decision to buy Genie+ or not is big one for people visiting Walt Disney World - and there isn't one answer. We leverage some great work done by Mammoth Club ( https://www.youtube.com/@Mammoth_Club/videos ) and try to examine how the value of having Genie+ is impacted by different touring styles Starts @3:23 ... What is the mental difference be...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 170
Episode 169 ... for the week of July 31, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... What is Everybody Talking About? - Disney revealed that they will be installing the Hatbox Ghost in a different location at Walt Disney World than in Disneyland - a location which seems to break the "Leota Rule" (source: Disney Parks ) - but that is not an official rule so we discuss the importance of fan build attraction lore. - Recent allegations against the head of a popular Disney con...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 169
Episode 168 ... for the week of July 31, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... What is Everybody Talking About? - Inspired by Journey of Water (which itself is inspired by Moana) we discuss what other C-Ticket level rides we would like to see in Walt Disney World as well as the reported interactive elements in the attraction contains - Jason is planning another December trip - but what lessons did he learn from last year? What options is he considering for this trip? Starts @...
Aug 01, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 168
Episode 167 ... for the week of July 24, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... What is Everybody Talking About? - A number of small WDW related items (higher crowds on Mondays, extra characters out, release of Halloween food, etc) - Universal announces new Dreamworks Land coming in 2024 (source: Scott Gustin ) - New theme park, American Heartland, announced for Oklahoma and involves 20+ former Disney park builders and Imagineers (source: American Heartland ) Starts @1:20 ... ...
Jul 25, 2023•59 min•Season 4Ep. 167
Episode 166 ... for the week of July 17, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... What is Everybody Talking About? - Disney 100th celebration at EPCOT “ramp up” from Sept 22 to Dec 31st (source: Disney Parks ) - Disney announces that Bob Iger will remain CEO until the end of 2026 (source: Blog Mickey ) - Sunshine Flyer and Mears merging (source: Blog Mickey ) Starts @1:20 ... Topic: Worst and Best Case Scenarios About the Future of the WDW Parks? - We appear to be at an inflecti...
Jul 18, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 166
Episode 165 ... for the week of July 10, 2023, and this is what is going on in our Disney World... What is Everybody Talking About? - Haunted Mansion to close for routing maintenance Aug 7-9 (source: WDW Magic ) - CM Previews for Journey of Water to start July 25th (source: Blog Mickey ) - EPCOT Food & Wine Festival details announced - including inclusion of the Muppets (source: Blog Mickey ) - Survey going around regarding replacement for Genie+ Starts @1:29 ... Topic: Potential Ways Genie+...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 165
